tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64736952012-01-21T18:53:23.409-05:00Family, Code, Cars, Coffee.Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.comBlogger13071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-19374091389583011952012-01-13T11:02:00.001-05:002012-01-13T11:02:08.620-05:00

The listing Yes, there's Kitchen-Aid porn in that picture.  Jealous?

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-58046067085618225852012-01-12T09:55:00.000-05:002012-01-12T09:55:52.857-05:00

Nothing like a deadline, I guess. So, we've known we needed photographs of our house up on various MLS/Zillow.com sites, and our realtor scheduled a photographer for today. Today?! Yeah, lots of work had/has to be done.  We were up last night until after 1am, and back at it again this morning ~7am.  I had a Diet Mountain Dew influenced crisis of confidence at 11pm, but...uh...pushed through it

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-60860179623430880022012-01-11T10:15:00.002-05:002012-01-11T10:15:35.581-05:00

So, my home sweet home is on the market. It's been a long road getting here.  Whitney's been feeling the tug to get out of the house since before the housing crash (!), and she's been a steady force there throughout financial crises. Anyway, so it's up.  We're supposed to be hosting a photographer Thursday, so it's been continuous clean/declutter/reclutter/clean/declutter since New Year's. 

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-19604410861451824042012-01-10T09:50:00.001-05:002012-01-10T09:50:34.561-05:00

Prove: Authoritarian Decision-making is myopic Assume: You work in a engineering-centric corporation with attendant corporate hierarchy. Engineers believe no one is as intelligent as an engineer. (Dilbert's Razor) Engineers view non-quantifiable job skills as unimportant (Scientific Postulate) Engineers age and seek more salary, responsibility (That's life) Engineers become managers (by 3)

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-28573060681994681312012-01-10T07:56:00.001-05:002012-01-10T10:29:04.075-05:00

I can't be honest.   Not anymore...not since 2008, basically.  My honest, analytical opinion would hurt too many feelings and likely get me fired, or sued, or jailed. Suffice it to say, there are things I'd like to get off my chest and express that I just can't.   That's hard, because my blog has always been the place where I did that, consequences be damned.  Well, these days, "consequences"

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0Starbucks, 476 Connector Rd, Georgetown38.23011 -84.53471tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-73309166836136480742011-12-27T17:43:00.001-05:002011-12-27T17:43:04.946-05:00

Perhaps I came out of the womb worrying. Pehaps it's learned behavior. Luke 12:25 says: 5 And which of you by worrying can add a single [a](C)hour to his [b]life’s span? 26 If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? What does this have to do with 2011, anyway? I worried alot this year.  I worried about myself, my wife, my kids, my parents,

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-80775374462372625982011-12-27T16:58:00.001-05:002011-12-27T16:58:51.385-05:00

Some things are stories. Some things are not.  There are facts I remember about my idiosynracies and ticks, and those of my fellow humans that just don't go anywhere.  They're kinda just...there. These are those: I once roomed with a guy D.E.F.  D had this curious Pavlovian response to riding in a car for any length of time > 2 minutes.  He'd go to sleep.  My other roomie once took him on a

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-1709503180836036992011-12-27T16:26:00.000-05:002011-12-27T16:26:36.466-05:00

When I was about 5 years old, my mom decided to drop me off with my aunt at her office while she did business in town. As my aunt worked in the District 10 Department of Highways in Jackson, Kentucky, her job was utterly regular and somewhat dull unless something extraordinary happened-->lots of overtime, somebody got fired, that sort of thing. View Larger Map  As it was the middle of

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-2212941167269998462011-12-15T11:27:00.000-05:002011-12-15T12:08:13.179-05:00

I'm rolling off a 16 month stint as the sole proprietor of a Java library used internally where I work.  Yep, it was an almost unheard-of situation within corporate America: I had no project manager, no marketing rep, no support staff, no unique testers.  I was responsible for API design, test plan, interfacing with multiple teams, delivery, support, infrastructure.  The works. In short, I loved

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0Lexington, KY, USA38.0405837 -84.503716437.8404992 -84.8195734 38.2406682 -84.18785940000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-15509083136965494382011-09-28T09:51:00.001-04:002011-09-28T09:51:23.069-04:00

Wow, the blogger.com interface sure has changed since the last time I posted! Well, to catch-up a few things: My job title is now 'Software Architect'.  This is avowed to be one of the most despised roles in all Software, since Developers resent architects' unrealistic, out-of-date ideas, and managers resent anyone besides them directing their teams.  Yay, me. I had a motorcycle residing at

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-64327323988497724922011-06-15T11:43:00.000-04:002011-06-15T11:43:06.868-04:00

Definition: Dutch Disease After reading Alan Greenspan's book last year, one concept that's remained with me is Dutch Disease, which I (over-)simplify to mean: When you have one huge cash cow industry/revenue stream, then all your other industries suffer. Combine that with this article on tech crunch. I see a similarity there, in that tech companies that were formerly innovative latch onto a

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-53478592479333444392011-06-13T11:39:00.000-04:002011-06-13T11:39:35.921-04:00

I attended the Central Ohio Software Symposium in Columbus, Ohio this past weekend.  What follows are my reviews of the event overall and the individual sessions I attended. OverviewMost conferences suck, frankly.  They're usually put on by a single company, and are a combination of too much marketing pitch, too little content & reality.  As it's name would suggest, a No Fluff/Just Stuff

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-77341257400885096962011-05-31T08:23:00.000-04:002011-05-31T08:23:37.606-04:00

Cleaning-up my life, mostly. Next week will mark 9 months on the upward swing, moving from a place of depression, passivity, and "life of quiet desperation" to a place of reality, assertiveness, and self-confidence.  I'm not "there" yet.  Likely, I never will be, fully--that's the humility that comes with this process.  Growing-up and gaining contentment (NOT complacency!) is a continuous

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-20261969225605487082011-05-16T09:04:00.000-04:002011-05-16T09:04:38.231-04:00

In a phrase: It obviates your need to think.  It encourages you to simply react. I'm reading this great book by Andy Hunt called, Pragmatic Thinking and Learning.  A key thesis in Chapter 5 is "Think, Don't React".  Reaction is emotional, and involves the fear-based lower brainstem, engaging in stuff like "Fight or Flight," Territorialism, Hissing at problems.  If you've read my blog from years

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-51289488235963865442011-05-13T16:35:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:35:54.461-04:00

This is part confessional, part "working it out on paper". I am an intuitive, synthetic problem solver.  That is, more often than not, a holistic solution pops into my head.  I don't really work it out; I just wait for inspiration to strike and then try like hell to keep up with it.  It oftentimes feels like someone else solved the problem when I'm done. So, what's the big deal?  I mean, the

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-86610002194667903862011-05-12T13:29:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:38:42.716-04:00

I've been part of two SCRUM rollouts so far.  One was a grassroots effort, the other organizational.  I have some thoughts I'd like to share, in no particular order. It's no silver bullet.  Repeat that last sentence 10, 50, 1000 times until you believe it.  If your work habits, talent, training, and support roles suck, your (insert work product here) will still suck using SCRUM.  On the bright

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-59983662068953107462011-05-04T10:43:00.000-04:002011-05-04T10:43:35.695-04:00

So, the other day, Whitney and I found ourselves at the UK Arboretum enjoying one another's company and remarking on how little clothing 18-22 year olds wear while exercising.  As part of our walk, we discussed the next step in our lives. You see, the last 5 years hasn't been all roses for us.  It's only in the past 8 months that I've gotten my head screwed-on straight about my faith, my place

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-86492581015975600372011-04-18T12:12:00.000-04:002011-04-18T12:12:49.198-04:00

I went to college with a guy, M, who was homeschooled and had nearly perfect elocution.  Bizarrely perfect, in fact, since he came from Winchester, Kentucky.  To be precise M didn't have elocution, he had diction--his voice was distinctive and every word was measured.  He also spoke, as Peter Egan would say, as though he was holding a pencil clenched in his back teeth. One day he was describing

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-52158677697819320992011-03-11T15:23:00.000-05:002011-03-11T15:23:45.376-05:00

I've been a Dave Ramsey follower for 9 years now.  Granted, I've never made it past baby step 3 because I'm a selfish spendthrift, but I've kept my debt load admirably low throughout that period.  We've pretty much saved-up for everything we bought in that time, aside from our Honda Odyssey, and I swore with that one that I'd let that sick, in-debt feeling stay with me so I'd never make that

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-62405919379794891742011-03-11T14:13:00.000-05:002011-03-11T14:13:51.708-05:00

What do cars and electronics have in common? Pornography improves the breed.   More generally, both benefit from something that captures the imagination and drives obsessive behavior and improvements to the delivery medium.  For electronics, this was VHS, DVDs, HDtv, internet, streaming video, etc.  For cars, this was racing. Where did most of the technology we use today come from?  Rear-view

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-64014970566039671022011-03-08T08:32:00.000-05:002011-03-08T08:32:57.327-05:00

The best feature of a Toyota Camry XV20?  External temperature gauge. Yes, the car's practically perfect, in that annoying Mary Poppins way, but I love clicking that button on the dash and seeing the outside air temperature.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-52181625771369399122011-03-04T17:22:00.000-05:002011-03-04T17:22:02.544-05:00

I deactivated my Facebook account today.  Here are the reasons: It's overwhelming.  The avalanche of minutiae from my fellow human beings was too much to process.     It's irresistible.  I'd find myself checking it each morning at 5am, each night before going to bed, and during lunch each day, in lieu of actual human relationships up to and including my own wife and kids.  You Social Network--er

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-68579536529493205532011-01-03T08:31:00.000-05:002011-01-03T08:31:42.656-05:00

Joey and I went to TRON: Legacy 3D last night.  On the way home, he posed the following question: "Hey Harold, so what if when I was a freshman in high school, I met some girl who had hair just like Quorra, and who looked just like Quorra, and who had a TRON outfit like Quorra?"  My reply: "Turn and run the other way as fast as you can." Yes, Olivia Wilde steals every scene she's in. Oh, and the

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-61179943903950514712010-12-27T08:22:00.000-05:002010-12-27T08:22:19.991-05:00

Each year I get to watch my boy appear and disappear in a 24 hour period.  I hate that. It's amazing how rewarding it can be to put something together with your kids.  This year, I got to put together a playschool dollhouse, a K'Nex Twisted Coaster, and an er...um....something to do with mechanized hamsters that need exercise.   A toy is evil if and only if it requires batteries. I find Michael

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-92026034630062556452010-12-26T15:59:00.000-05:002010-12-26T15:59:07.956-05:00

So, the other day, J-man and I were trekking to Shelbyville, Maria in the back seat.  Joey was bored and he started the "Guess a number between..."  Each time we play this game, I calc the ceil(lg(N)) of the higher number and request that many guesses, and I win every time.  ("Stand back, I'm going to try science!") Anyway....Maria wanted to get in on this, too.   Which is fascinating, since she

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-74636514032865777272010-12-21T09:07:00.002-05:002010-12-21T09:21:13.125-05:00

Ruminations for today:It's a crime there's no site where you can put in reasonable search criteria ("manual diesel wagon") and have it monitor AutoTrader, eBayMotors, Cars.com, Craigslist, etc. Sort of like Kayak.com does for airline tickets or Mint.com does for finances. Corollary thought: Some techno-geek/gear head like me invented just such a program, but loved it so much never left his

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-37155142496281976792010-12-13T08:56:00.002-05:002010-12-13T09:24:33.226-05:00

I sit here in office 249, staring down the last work week of the year, the Meghan McCain tome Dirty Sexy Money winking at me. Outside, the temperature hovers at 17 F, as arctic air chills most of America.Yes, I blinked, and the weekend was over.So, what happened?First, I saw Despicable Me with Maria Thursday night (yes, a little Daddy/Daughter time). Wonderful film, even if the tickets cost us

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-15205645770376552022010-11-17T06:27:00.000-05:002010-11-17T06:28:26.467-05:00

Background: I have a 6 week old infant daughter.In an ongoing effort to avoid sleep deprivation psychosis, my wife and I now alternate "standing watch" for Grace each night. Last night was my night. Man, a day that ends at midnight and begins at 4:30 sucks. Really could've done with another hour of sleep at least.Still, it beats Sunday night/Monday morning, at which time my daughter went to

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-66153083624512315332010-11-15T08:41:00.002-05:002010-11-15T08:55:22.840-05:00

Yes, I've caught the blogging bug. I feel different enough from my former self that it seems to make sense. Maybe I'm reading too much Peter Egan these days. Whatever, I'm here, again.This weekend was another hole in my soul weekends when Joey gets to go to Louisville to be someone else with Dad #1. This is not how he phrases it, but that's it in effect. From my perspective, I drop him off @

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-8434707977347773642010-11-12T08:21:00.002-05:002010-11-12T08:44:47.943-05:00

From time to time, I like to check-in on what daily life is like. Yeah, it's mundane, but it helps me remember what I was like at any given moment.5 am: Alarm Clock Goes off. Hit snooze bar.5:09am: Alarm Clock Goes off. Hit snooze bar5:18am: Alarm Clock Goes off, wakes 6 week old infant. Wife hits me. I turn off alarm clock and get up5:30->6: Wash dishes from night before, read RSS feeds on

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-47254313876079778932010-11-11T17:28:00.003-05:002010-11-11T18:01:47.052-05:00

Inspired by @tr0x on Twitter.com, here's my anti-bragging list @ age 32.I suck at most anything sports related. I'm egotistical and I hate to lose, from which naturally follows I never liked being on any sports team. I was on a T-Ball team when I was 6. I played right field, couldn't catch a ball to save my life, and that team ended-up winning the league championship. I chose to retire on top

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-54505985462590333142010-09-13T17:34:00.002-04:002010-09-13T17:38:49.239-04:00

I was in a training class last week, and thought these quotes were interesting:Game time is not the time to improve skills. It's the time to apply the skills.Projects have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Operations go on forever.Marry not the person that makes you happiest, but the person that makes you least unhappy.Metrics allow you to get rid of the losers. They DO NOT let you pick the

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-22375747629409703352010-07-01T13:42:00.004-04:002010-07-01T13:46:13.658-04:00

I'm 31, and I have arthritis in my lower back.THIRTY ONE YEARS OLD.Mom's prophesy has come true: "You need to get up and move, or you'll have arthritis by the time you're 30." You were off by one, mom.Can't really lay blame on anyone but myself here. I'm the one who decided sitting around like Jabba the Hut for the last decade was the way to go. Twenty six percent body fat, zero flexibility,

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-72845751600486486502010-06-18T14:35:00.002-04:002010-06-18T15:17:31.645-04:00

I've been pulling lots of OT at work lately (as has my whole team) and this past week, the walls started closing in on me. That's appropriate--I work in a windowless lab surrounded by high-walled cubicles and machines that wouldn't pass FCC Class B certification with a bribe and a reactor radiation shield. Our lab has a sign with fake (?) blood on it that says: "Stress relief: Bang head here."

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-50820665095457921852010-05-22T23:15:00.002-04:002010-05-22T23:46:14.681-04:00

Most of my Saturdays involve me getting to "sleep in" to 7am. Today was special--I got to sleep in to 8:30, at which point Bella declared, "Well, I've been awake for 2 hours at this point, might as well get up."To encourage domestic sanity, Whitney and I have an arrangement--each of us gets alone time for around 4 hours each weekend. Traditionally, Whitney gets hers Saturday mornings 'til

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-48036336774896337242010-05-06T11:37:00.003-04:002010-05-06T11:49:41.199-04:00

(As related to Kim Tegge, the lone coffee holdout at work)Stage 0: Coffee?! BLECH! Does smell good, though. Stage 1: Coffee?! BLECH! I'll take a Mocha Frappuchino, please.Stage 2: Coffee?! BLECH! I'll take an instant French Vanilla Cappuccino, please. I drink one of these every couple of weeks or so.Stage 3: Latte, please. I can't stand coffee. This is my first one this week.Stage 4: Hmm

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-82658229334120299262010-04-07T17:47:00.003-04:002010-04-07T17:56:42.114-04:00

This morning, my daughter Maria, had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy at an outpatient surgery center in Lexington. She did very well, considering. She wasn't happy to have all that pain when she awoke.She cried, and I held her in the recovery room as they took the IV out of her left arm. The nurses and staff at the outpatient center were attentive, answering our every question.We took the

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-60066784807398178832010-04-04T09:00:00.004-04:002010-04-04T09:40:17.691-04:00

This year, I was puzzling over the word 'Easter' itself. Doesn't seem to have any religious connection, does it? All the Latin-derived languages borrow from "Pesach," the Hebrew word for passover.Surprise, Easter is named for an Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring. Traditionally the goddess Eoastre saved a frozen bird by turning it into a bunny. A bunny who could lay eggs, like a bird. BANG--"

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-23862703680585160702010-04-02T21:21:00.002-04:002010-04-02T21:42:39.138-04:00

Since March 22nd, my family's been tooling around in a Nissan Cube. Let's be honest: We hate it. We miss our Honda Odyssey and look forward to its return. Heck, this thing makes me yearn for the consistent handling, quiet competence of my 10 year old Toyota Camry.Yep. This brick is Hello Kitty with wheels, and yikes has it overstayed its welcome.For those who don't know, a Nissan Cube is a

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-74580463109221389642010-03-08T12:47:00.003-05:002010-03-08T12:49:49.611-05:00

Chat convo with my wife:Bella: I'm gonna need that $ back.Harvid: Sure, right after I put that deposit down on that motorcycleBella: Oh, so you're leaving me then?Harvid: Oh, didn't the guy show up with the papers? ;)

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-59237930067023651532010-03-02T13:10:00.003-05:002010-03-02T13:39:22.283-05:00

Finished reading this book Saturday nightIt was an interesting tale of an entitled, White Anglo-Saxon Protestant (WASP) whose life completely unravelled in his late 50's. This true story follows Michael Gates Gill, son of Brendan Gill of The New Yorker magazine fame, graduate of Yale, member of Skull & Bones. Gill's never worked a real job in his life--he moved from Yale to a prestigious

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-46537946081959864692010-02-21T14:42:00.002-05:002010-02-21T15:17:13.812-05:00

I'll get some pics up soon...just some thoughts from attending the 2010 Louisville Auto showIt's much better going with your 3 year old daughter than with your 1 year old daughter. Maria was my wingman...er...wingdaughter. Awesome!The Ford display triumphed. They had position right in front of the entrance, and the cars were great. They (understandably) didn't have the 2011 5.0 Mustang GT on

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-45177879934844911042010-01-25T21:12:00.005-05:002010-01-26T12:24:55.931-05:00

I live in a dysfunctional state. Actually scratch that...I live in a dysfunctional Commonwealth.Looking at this logically:We have 4.3 million peopleWe rank 22nd in population densityWe have a state sales tax of 6%, except on foodstuffs.We have a state income tax of 6%, basically for everybody.We pay property tax assessed on cars, yearly.We pay property tax on LEASED CARS. Think about that for a

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-74932254151423257042010-01-25T08:24:00.002-05:002010-01-25T08:36:22.827-05:00

Trying to journal a few things from the past weekend:My wife likes Ducatis and Triumphs. She thinks that a Nighthawk 250 and the Honda Rebel are ridiculously too small for me. In other news, I actually got Whitney to go to a motorcycle shop with me :-)I'm considering selling some of my Voigtlander R1 Rangefinder kit, particularly the 15mm Heliar f/4.5 and the 90mm f/3.5. I haven't snapped any

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-78346906949040053882010-01-11T05:41:00.003-05:002010-01-11T06:21:43.555-05:00

I paid $4.00 at a matinee to watch Avatar, now 3 weeks after its worldwide release. The 2.5 hour video game movie amazed me, and at the same time, its overarching vanity and irony haunts me. Let's talk.The movie itself tells the story of former marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington)'s journey the new world Pandora, where he's embedded with a corporate mining operation of 'Unobtainium', a mineral

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-42350256524673439692010-01-08T08:43:00.003-05:002010-01-08T08:59:02.036-05:00

Yes, the blogging fad is over.When it was invented, blogging was a giant leap beyond "creating your own website" by hand-coding HTML or using a program to 'publish' your site. Suddenly, you could type out your thoughts, embed images and let some other program handle all the layouts, storage, archiving, and hosting. Blogging exploded.However, blogging is lonely, hierarchical. Comments made

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-78790178527526498002010-01-01T10:36:00.002-05:002010-01-01T12:05:41.530-05:00

So, here we are, at the end of the Awful Aughts. The automobile in America has pretty much jumped the shark, maybe for good (Exact moment: The day the movie 'Cars' was released).Still, I'm a gearhead. I'll die a gearhead. The 2000's coincided with my twenties; having no debt to speak of, a well-paying job, and no one to answer to besides myself, I wasted as much of my own money and my

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-65702264281796164612009-10-15T07:50:00.003-04:002009-10-15T08:00:40.587-04:00

In the beginning, man created paper, and it was good. It was permanent, stateful, and could be used for warmth if the auditor got too close. Man could transfer the paper to another man, certain his message would get across. Man could doodle and mark-up the paper. For a backup solution, there was carbon paper. And, there was much rejoicing.And, lo, God saw Man enjoying paper, and said, ""If

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-60410381082320913092009-10-14T08:35:00.003-04:002009-10-14T08:53:47.753-04:00

Randomness:* This month marks 2 years since Mom's cancer was diagnosed. She's still kickin'.* I'm going to try and blog much more. Facebook's great. Twitter's great. Sometimes, though, I just can't hear myself think in there. Blogging's much more composition and reflection.* I've learned to say 'No'. I've de-committed some things at church. Whitney and I have worked out some ways to get

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-45543079788743686192009-10-13T11:12:00.003-04:002009-10-13T11:43:55.417-04:00

I was staring at myself in the mirror a moment ago, washing my hands, thinking of a time years past, when I sat across from a Hazel Eyed woman:"Why do you keep doing that?" she asked."What?""You keep doing sign language when you're talking. Why?"It was the Fall of 1999. That summer, I thought I'd lost my soul mate, the woman who'd taught me a little bit of sign language. Her name was Whitney.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-57315120582233931102009-09-29T11:39:00.006-04:002009-09-29T11:53:58.027-04:00

User story:As a developer, I want to tag my code every so often, so that other people can get code that's stable, not bleeding edge.This is the classic CVS usecase: Commit your code, and then tag it as 'Production' or 'Released' or whatever. In CVS, that entails touching every file. In Subversion, that's a constant-time operation you can do wholly on the server.Let's say you want to copy your

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-73983790670778734152009-09-09T07:52:00.004-04:002009-09-09T08:04:21.684-04:00

[Insert obligatory apology/observation about not updating my blog here]It's a brand new me, folks. Less introspective. Focused on "What" and "How", not "Why." 'Why' is an empty question where one can spend one's whole life. I'm 30 now. I'm married. I have two kids I love very much. I also have no idea who I really am. Most of this blog from these many years is complete B.S., I'm afraid--

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-41583661792486670152009-06-02T08:56:00.002-04:002009-06-02T09:06:16.516-04:00

Someone gunned-down George Tiller in cold blood in his church Sunday. That he happened to be an abortion clinic doctor is immaterial. Vigilante justice, retribution, and demagoguery are not roads we need go down in this country--it's been done before.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-62402922312366274122009-05-26T07:57:00.003-04:002009-05-26T08:10:36.683-04:00

I enjoyed Memorial Day quite a bit. Our trip to Kings Island (formerly Paramount's Kings Island) was great. I would actually call it an achievement--we didn't overtire ourselves, and we never had a desire to strangle one another.For the Combs clan, that's an achievement.We got there at 6pm Friday, having checked-in to our excellent Courtyard Inn in Blue Ash and settled our stuff. A 20 minute

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-11467933325685556242009-05-19T08:05:00.003-04:002009-05-19T08:12:56.182-04:00

LinkySimply put, this regulation will be the end of the automobile industry (and possibly the automobile itself). They want 42mpg fleet AVERAGE? Given current regulations, the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid gets 42mpg average. Nearly EVERY OTHER CAR on the road will underperform.They want these regulations by 2016...understand, that's ONE GENERATION in automotive terms, given the 5-year product

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-53119678171300718172009-05-18T21:13:00.002-04:002009-05-18T21:27:12.104-04:00

So, as anyone who's followed my blog for a year or more knows, I got motorcycle fever last spring and summer.It all started innocently enough. I got a ride on my father in law's scooter (hey, I had the helmet already thanks to autocross, right?) It was something of a disaster--maneuvering the 600cc scooter at low speed wasn't *quite* as easy as I thought.Long boring story later, I had

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-34111436249536126522009-05-18T13:15:00.002-04:002009-05-18T13:22:47.650-04:00

So, Sunday, I decided to do something completely out of character--I took a nap.My wife took one look at my cranky-pants self after church and said, "You need a Nap for Jesus."Which is a polite way of saying, "Jesus, Harold...take a nap!"Anyway, my bizarro dream went like this: [Interior. Lab environment. Soft lighting, muted hum of machinery]Serge: Hello, Harold. I'm Sergey Brin. This is

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-82432626073788273992009-05-13T08:47:00.003-04:002009-05-13T09:36:26.403-04:00

I haven't blogged in forever...I guess it's just the omnipresence of Twitter and Facebook that have me being "unfaithful" to my blog.Over the years, I've liked to record the way my day goes, just so I can look back and say, WHAT WAS I THINKING?!A rundown of a typical day for me:5am -- wake up, hit snooze button5:09 -- wake up5:18 -- NO REALLY, WAKE UP.5:18 -> 6am -- Listen to "Countdown with

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-7850160640081480262009-04-29T13:42:00.004-04:002009-04-29T21:41:54.939-04:00

You know, growing-up I had three examples of "real life" to go by: My mom, my Dad, and my Aunt Norie. Each led vastly different lives: Mom was a schoolteacher; Dad was a travelling salesman; and Norie did payroll for the local office of the D.O.T.Like most schoolteachers, Mom's life existed on two levels--the "regular" hours that looked so attractive, and the reality. On paper, it was a

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-33306298527056235082009-04-10T08:34:00.003-04:002009-04-10T08:49:10.193-04:00

LinkyOh, Jim Carrey, how far and hard you've fallen.Last night, Whitney and I RedBox'd Yes Man, a movie completely devoid of plot. Plot: A progression of a story through introduction, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution (denoument).Yeah, this story has none. It has a terrific *premise*, that of a man who is stuck in a rut until he magically transforms into a guy who can't lie

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-3964057330917040522009-04-01T08:15:00.003-04:002009-04-01T08:25:50.039-04:00

Perhaps Cal's a bargain at that price.However, when I look at the budget presentation here, I see a $2.2 Billion budget for the University of Kentucky (slide 5). Calipari's $4,375,000 per year is right at 0.2% of the total budget. A pittance? Again, perhaps.However, when we flip over to slide 11, notice a budget slashed to meet declining revenue projections, with 188 positions eliminated. It

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-36215302327477836092009-03-30T08:14:00.002-04:002009-03-30T08:36:09.561-04:00

Too long for a tweet, to short for proper blog. Here goes:On GillespieYes, you woke up the next day, and Billy Clyde Gillespie is really gone. He's trying to "win" the breakup, showing the world his smiling public face, but make no mistake--you hurt him. You took him right off the turnip truck, threw him in front of the most rabid fan base this side of Notre Dame football, and now he'll be

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-19831583215462353302009-03-27T09:18:00.003-04:002009-03-27T10:41:39.590-04:00

It was a hot Friday evening, the pavement sizzling though the sun was just about to clock out for the day.Work stank today, in that "Where else you gonna get a job, loser?" sort of way. Fear and loathing in Lexington, yup. But, she waited.She was hundreds of horsepower, rear wheel drive, and leather interior. She didn't run, she purred. Red--I've NEVER had a red car, but nothing else seemed

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-49617009833338086622009-03-23T08:10:00.003-04:002009-03-23T08:19:43.046-04:00

Ah, Revolution.Romantic thought, isn't it? Taking an untenable social and political situation and hitting the big 'Reset' button on the old Nintendo. Start fresh. Start clean. Do it RIGHT this time. Certainly, it worked for our Founding Fathers.You see, I've been hearing the 'R' word bandied about quite a bit in the last few weeks. Casually, as if people were trying it on for size, or as a

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-25289367160891267392009-03-23T05:16:00.004-04:002009-03-23T05:54:38.575-04:00

As I sit here at 5:15 am, drinking coffee and eating Raisin Bran, this is pretty much the first time in 2 weeks I've felt like myself. A head cold turned into bronchitis, then back into a severe head cold. I had fever & chills 3 out of 4 days last week. Finally, the doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics and two days later I couldn't hear out of my right ear.Fun times.So, Dr. Whitney

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-36215939607379490792009-03-20T14:08:00.002-04:002009-03-20T14:09:27.890-04:00

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-72374376716750376812009-03-17T12:18:00.003-04:002009-03-17T13:57:58.732-04:00

Once you have been tagged, you are supposed to write down 25 movies you cannot live without. You know, the ones you can watch over and over and never get tired of. They don't have to be in any particular order. These are the movies that make you laugh, cry, think of an old friend, whatever the reason. Please note that these are not in any particular order, these are just the 25 films I feel are

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-65225585782940171812009-03-04T08:11:00.003-05:002009-03-04T08:29:11.994-05:00

LinkyCity of Ember is a gripping, family-friendly tale of perserverence and survival. It stars some no-name child actors amid a cast of recognizable adult faces (Bill Murray, Tim Robbins) as the residents of an underground city called "Ember". As the story opens, we see a group of scientists in a "doomsday" scenario: Huddled around a time capsule device, they discern that 200 years is "enough"

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-71856419015766921522009-02-24T14:03:00.002-05:002009-02-24T14:03:53.541-05:00

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-57112957037550797602009-02-23T08:16:00.003-05:002009-02-23T08:37:11.541-05:00

OligarchyThis country is an oligarchy--a country ruled by a narrow, incestuous, elite class bent on maintaining their tenuous grip on power. Where once we had a broad spectrum of representative government and limited federal powers, we now have an all-encompassing federal government, controlled by two parties that look suspiciously like one another.Where's the healthy disagreement? Where are

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-91215832469574433362009-02-20T13:21:00.004-05:002009-02-20T13:47:12.342-05:00

I've been keeping up with twitter, but no so much on my blog. It just seems like such a futile time to be writing much of anything.The world economy is dying. We have (er...had) a super-optimized consumption machine going, with a supply-line stretching from the third world (where stuff was made) through the first world, where stuff got consumed and thrown away. The consumers bought the stuff

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-23878803996174066932009-02-11T08:39:00.002-05:002009-02-11T08:41:14.904-05:00

Maria's second birthday was yesterday, at 10:40pm.At that point, everyone else was asleep and I was at the computer working on our taxes for the year.We're having her party this weekend on Sunday.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-91135069850077051772009-02-10T12:56:00.003-05:002009-02-10T13:19:42.355-05:00

As Easter grows near, this particular blog is going to haunt me again, it would seem. I hopes of staving off another storm of firey, hurt emails, here's my open letter those whose ire I've inspired.First, I am sorry if I upset you.If you reread my post, you'll see that I pointed out good and bad points about the particular night I attended a performance. And I stand by those opinions from one

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-26526757956553824052009-01-29T10:01:00.002-05:002009-01-29T10:13:36.021-05:00

Been a pretty stressful time lately--co-teaching a class at church, layoffs at work, and kids bored OUT OF THEIR MINDS because of the Snowpocalypse.My iPod's been my one refuge. Listening to it today, I've learned something about my (new) self--I hate lots of music.Basically, I hate atonic noise, overwrought compositions, and LOUD stuff. That's ALOT of what people listen to--and alot of what's

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-28315464389250120482009-01-28T09:15:00.002-05:002009-01-28T09:17:48.559-05:00

So, most of Kentucky is shut down because of this snow/ice mess we have currently, and my august company has decided to go forward with their yearly kickoff meeting, despite 50% absentee rate at the moment.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-7505430231858997892009-01-26T08:47:00.004-05:002009-01-26T10:17:29.026-05:00

Stopping means bringing a moving object or system to a halt. Things naturally get slower as they get colder, down to absolute zero, when all motion (even molecular vibration) ceases.I was talking to Whitney last night before bed about it...it just feels like everything's stopping--the economy, politics, people's attitudes. Just grinding to a halt. Yay, we have a new president. Yay, he signals

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-684299316315478742009-01-25T15:47:00.002-05:002009-01-25T15:54:14.822-05:00

Every time I hear Norah Jones, I'm hear Joey snoring softly in the back on my MINI, dusk falling around us as we drive back from Somernites Cruise on US 127 from Danville. The sun's gone down on a perfect day, and Whitney's looking at me every so often with so much love in her eyes, I just want to cry. She doesn't know I see her looking. And that's okay.* * *It's that time of the winter when

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-42889788209004916492009-01-22T13:01:00.002-05:002009-01-22T13:06:12.286-05:00

From Chuck: LinkyProductivity for a creative person or thought worker is consistency, discipline, and knowing yourself. I don't do well at night, so I try to work before noon, leaving time for all the corporate crap in the afternoons.Sadly, everything has a way of blowing up at precisely 4:45 pm. Don't know why.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-14450212943376085752009-01-22T10:41:00.003-05:002009-01-22T10:45:41.183-05:00

You know, I think I finally figured out where my temper comes from: My Mom's side of the family.I sat here 2 minutes ago and had a full-blown Aunt Norie incredulous rant. At one point, I took a step back and heard myself speaking and it was like, "That sounds an awful lot like Norie at full tilt."Yep. Dad's family is placid. Mom's is a tad more assertive.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-41877218646537329352009-01-21T08:01:00.000-05:002009-01-21T08:02:13.937-05:00

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-13664138308229272562009-01-20T08:35:00.002-05:002009-01-20T08:41:47.447-05:00

Been a hectic couple of weeks around the Combs household. Whitney got a crash assignment from our pastor to develop a devotional handbook from scratch in a week. 50 days of devotional thoughts, on 7 different themes. Joey cut his hand trying to close his pocket knife on Saturday, requiring 3 stitches in the back of his hand (they come out in 8 more days).They turned off our FSA (thank you,

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-34683244893406263232009-01-19T08:15:00.002-05:002009-01-19T08:19:10.841-05:00

So, last night our small group topic was prayer. Not surprisingly, we used Matthew 6 as our text: 9"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-13048901393669147152009-01-12T16:15:00.004-05:002009-01-12T16:17:13.204-05:00

LinkyNeed to send somebody an svn link to the code you're working on?svn info . | grep URL | clipThen, just Ctrl-C and paste it into your email.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-12373652833294727682009-01-09T08:09:00.004-05:002009-01-09T08:26:46.738-05:00

So, you live in an organization for 10 years, and you acquire a certain rep. A reputation as a maverick, a guy who's not too wrapped-up in procedure, kowtow'ing, and career. You've said some things in meetings that were career-limiting, but damn it, they were the RIGHT THINGS.Sure, you broke into someones computer once to get their hard drive so you could deliver the code she REFUSED TO CHECK

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-55348578123719666422009-01-08T08:07:00.005-05:002009-01-08T08:17:59.695-05:00

LinkyIn hindsight, certain things look foolish: Jewel-encrusted buggywhips, Pets.com, and GM's interest in Hummer. I'm sure after enough time, this Web 2.0 foolishness will look just as silly. I loved some of the apps that resulted: RescueTime, Mint.com, etc. They're neat.Still, eventually, you've got to have a business model. Something that doesn't begin and end in "ad-supported".

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-50264182337560074452009-01-06T22:03:00.001-05:002009-01-06T22:03:36.033-05:00

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-10614234769688167212009-01-05T08:46:00.002-05:002009-01-05T08:48:38.390-05:00

It's been a long journey from terror, to disdain, to abidance, to curiousity, but now, HERE IT IS:

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-20199306036343078072009-01-05T07:38:00.003-05:002009-01-05T07:55:55.738-05:00

School's back in session, the teacher's hungover, the class is catatonic, and the assignment is "Essay on what you did over Christmas Break".* * *Over my Christmas break, I enjoyed my family and relaxed. This was a novelty; usually by the 3rd day I feel cooped-up and restless and turn into a complete asshole. During this week-and-a-half, I really had no desire to put my fist through a wall, run

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-40112727654594823292008-12-27T11:18:00.003-05:002009-01-05T11:51:42.186-05:00

Stolen from Susan* * *1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?Traveled to both coasts--New England and Kalifournia. 2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?Didn't make any, so yep.3. Did anyone close to you give birth?No.4. Did anyone close to you die?One of the founders of our church died, but no one too close, no.5. What countries did

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-35168795069631836462008-12-27T11:03:00.003-05:002008-12-27T11:14:37.151-05:00

I don't know if this is common or not, but when I have prolonged time off work, I find it nearly impossible to relax. I always feel like I should be doing something or working towards something, even if it's at home.Take right now, for instance. Whitney and I are granting one another some alone time today. Joey's in Louisville until tomorrow night, and Maria's enjoying her post-Christmas toys.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-56483366248016856232008-12-25T14:17:00.000-05:002008-12-25T14:18:05.156-05:00

Don’t get me wrong, lawyers serve an important function, but like e. coli in the body politic, too many will kill you.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-91416463099815278302008-12-23T13:55:00.002-05:002008-12-23T13:57:25.180-05:00

How do you know you're a wuss? When 5" of snow shuts down the state for a week.LinkyI particularly like:Area Roads: In light of the continuing snowfall and icy road conditions, most local roads are snow-covered and slippery and will remain that way until March. For information on current road conditions, please look out the window.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-79534733506395262972008-12-23T12:42:00.004-05:002008-12-23T12:58:05.628-05:00

What follows is a little tinfoil-hat, I admit...Okay, so the other night, I had a dream about working at the NSA or some other government agency where "We're smarter than you can imagine..." No doubt, this came from two things:I just read Dan Brown's turdly book Digital FortressI had a really great discussion about my industry with my #1 consultant--my wife. Whitney observed that programmers

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-54185675479611833112008-12-18T15:09:00.001-05:002008-12-18T15:10:34.315-05:00

LinkyNever forget to say goodbye.Beautiful stuff.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-14788178449080986642008-12-16T08:13:00.004-05:002008-12-16T08:31:01.915-05:00

Ah December, the time to give, receive, and splurge on a really neat wireless plan.For the last 3 years, in true Dave Ramsey fashion, Whitney and I have been prepaid Virgin Mobile users. I'd say subscribers, but there's no subscription--you pay-as-you-go, and pay only for the calls and text messages ("TXTs") you use.On the whole, it wasn't a bad system. The phones were chintzy and low-tech, but

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-51443310142047739602008-12-12T10:38:00.001-05:002008-12-12T10:39:18.238-05:00

I'm trying to keep things moving here; I get bored easily...Bruce, you're my hero.

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-50338228532478285392008-12-12T07:49:00.003-05:002008-12-12T07:53:07.306-05:00

(Yes, they whipped Belfrey. Again. On the Road. Muhahaha)Story about my uncle and his three sonsOnce again, the Breathitt County Bobcats find themselves in the championship game, this time with All-State running back Channing Fugate.I don't think they have any shot of winning, since they're essentially one-dimensional (GIVE CHANNING THE BALL!)

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-83216765726495886332008-12-10T09:56:00.002-05:002008-12-10T10:14:10.405-05:00

Linky

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-70454778954160117392008-12-10T08:08:00.002-05:002008-12-10T08:30:57.767-05:00

I'm happy today--I'm really into the Christmas season. Some random thoughts:On the blogHas my blog fizzled? I see none of the fire and angst I saw in posts 2, 3, 4 years ago. I'm not controversial (provided I say nothing about Southeast Christian Church!), nor am I writing about substantial things--news, computers, cameras, cars, politics. My posts about industrial decline and the rise of

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6473695.post-89119051251106790682008-12-05T08:27:00.003-05:002008-12-05T08:40:03.122-05:00

WOW!Whitney and I attended the Georgetown College's production of Cimarosa's The Secret Marriage last night, and I was blown away.Understand, this is a college of ~1500 persons. The curriculum's "Opera" class hasn't been taught in recent memory. The college has no orchestra, only a concert band.So here, amid the rolling bluegrass, they staged a full, 2-Act Italian opera.Was it perfect? Of

Harold Combshttps://profiles.google.com/106400800704294833963noreply@blogger.com0